Maine’s Democrat Delegates Largely Silent on Whether Kamala Should Replace Biden as the Nominee

After President Joe Biden announced that he will not be seeking reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement, numerous high-profile Democrats followed suit and endorsed Vice President Harris within hours of President Biden’s announcement.

[RELATED: Kamala Harris: The Presidential Nominee Democrats Deserve…]

Despite support from many Democrats, Harris’s nomination is far from secure, and Maine’s delegates remain largely silent on who they will ultimately support at the Democratic National Convention.

While nationwide, some states’ delegates, such as New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, have pledged their unanimous support for Harris’s presidential bid, only two of Maine’s nine Democratic superdelegates have pledged their support for Harris.

Gov. Janet Mills (D) issued a statement in support of Harris shortly after Biden’s announcement, which came exclusively through a letter on X.

“I look forward to continuing to work with President Biden for the remainder of his term, and to do everything I can to elect Vice President Kamala Harris, a friend and former colleague as Attorney General and a fighter for the people, as our next president,” said Mills.

The only other superdelegate to endorse Harris was Maine House Speaker Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland), who put her “full support” behind Harris and posted a link on Facebook for people to donate to her campaign.

Interestingly, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), who has been a staunch supporter of Biden, praised his decision to step down but avoided endorsing Harris.

Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Maine) likewise made supportive statements about Biden but failed to endorse Harris.

U.S. Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), who has been silent on Biden’s fitness for office but has publicly admitted that he believes former President Donald Trump will win the presidency, reportedly called the decision to step down “good for the country,” but did not comment on Harris.

The remaining superdelegates have remained silent on the matter, except for Maine Democratic Chair Bev Uhlenhake, who praised Biden but did not support Harris.

Ulenhake did not respond to a phone call from The Maine Wire.

Only a single one of Maine’s non-superdelegates, Ryan Fecteau, made any comment at all on Biden’s decision, praising the president without mentioning his endorsement of Harris.

“He will be considered one of the greatest of all-time. Why? He didn’t just talk a big game. He delivered. He navigated Congress at a time of extreme political divisiveness and got major/transformative initiatives passed. He brought our economy back from the brink—avoiding a major recession or worse. And he returned decency to the White House,” said Fecteau in a lengthy post on LinkedIn.

The Maine Wire also reached out to the delegates by phone, but none of them commented on whether they support Harris’s bid for the Democratic nomination.

While many Democrats are treating Harris’s nomination as a given, the reluctance on the behalf of many of Maine’s delegates, along with that of prominent Democrats such as U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and former President Barack Obama, to endorse Harris suggests that she could face significant competition at the convention.